Burglar-trapping apparatus



March 25, 1,924.`

Y T. D. EVANS BURGLAR TRAPPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25 1922 his llam'yMarch 25, 1924; 1,487,926

T. D'. EVANS BURGLAR TRAPPI NG APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2e. 1922 2Sheets-shea 2 /mfenicu' Vzn asses. l /7 Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

entranA STATES Matez@- i rraNr orrice.

application med Jannarypae, 1922. ser-iai no. senss.

To all' 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS D. EVANS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Phoenixville, in the county of Chester and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain'new and useful Improvementsin-Burglar-Trapping Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.l The main object of I'ny invention is to revent thecarrying out of thefts by burg ars or-bandi'ts in `banks or otherinstitutions.

Another object is tovprovide novel and effective apparatus for thepurpose above mentioned which can be readily set in operation after thebandit within a building whereby t e hurglar o r bandit will be reventedfrom leaving the building unti the arrival of the police.

These objects,

ends which will be described hereinafter, I-

attain in the following manner, reference being] had to the accompanyingdrawings in whic Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a' por- A tion ofa building illustrating myimproved apparatus,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3`is a section taken on the lline 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 1,

Figures (Sand 7 are enlarged fragmentary elevations illustrating certainof the features of in invention; the cover of the controlling box eingremovedand certain o f tl e `foa tures being illustrateddiagrammaticahy.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the topplate of the door as shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 9 is a view of the same general character as shown in thetrapping door having been partly raise and Figure 10 is a view-of thesame general character as that shown in Figure 8 show ing a slightmodification of the parts.

Referring to the drawings, 12 re resents the wall of a buildingincluding a oorway 13 which =will be considered the only means ofentrance or exit from th'e building; said doorway extending above thefloor 14; the

entering of a bur lar orand other advantageous Y 'ing 18 so that'th topof the iip Figure 8 illustratin" 7 side of lowered position. The upperend portion of 110' -wall at each side of the doorway being 'ref cessedto rovide a deway 15 upward through w ich the sign] door 16 are adaptedto slide. The door 16 is normally mountedin the basement or, ce1- lar 16of the buildin recessed at 17 to provi 18;'said housing having aportion19 whic fits within anjopenin 2O in thev fioor. The housing 18 ispreferaly made. with l'its to flush with the upper surface of the floransaid housing has a lslot 21 Vupward through which the door`16 is adaptedbeing noted that the slot 21` is in ali ent with the recess and guideway15 in-t e wall and extends transversel ofthe doorway.

A flexible resilient plate 22'is.sec'ured to the top of the door ,16' yangles-23, and said plate, when the door ism its lower sition, fits'within a recess 24 inthe to 'oft e houslte22 is flush with the top'surface of the oor so that any one entering the Vbuildin through the.doorway 13 can walk upon t e .plate22 without stumbling. This.' ate'221s normallyof a shape shown in lgure 9 with-its opposite edgeportionsbowed downward a'nd it will be noted that when the do'or islowered'that the weight ofthe .door is suiiicient to lcause said plate22 to assume a at position such as shown in Figure 8 when the plateengages within the recess24. v l

The door 16, when in its lowered position, has portions adjacent itsside edges slidable within guideways 25 which can be secured to theinner surface of the wall '12. Toothed racksv 26 are secured to the doorupright positions a shown in Figure 1 an spur gear wheels 27 mesh withthese racks and are secured to a shaft 28.; said shaft being rotatablein suitable bearings 29 which are secured to the wall 12. A. chain 30operatively connects a sprocket wheel 31 on the shaft 28 with a s rocketwheel-32 on' the driving shaft 33 ov an electrically o erated motor 34and it will be noted that w en the motoris electrically driven that itwill rotate the shaft 28 and the spur gear wheels 27 will engage theraz'ks 26 and raise the door 16, 1 I have. illustrated a detent latch 35which is pivotally mounted within a box 36; said box bein secured to thewall 12 adjacent one the door 16 when the latter is in its e edgeportions of a.'-

to slide.;A it

ered position, engages and holds 4closed a I' 4*Figure-1; the switchbeing normally sup-` ported by a latch 43 which has one part 44 the"latch normallyrests against the side. edge of the door ina manner'shown in Figlire 6 and when the door is raised so that its lower endclears the' latch, the -latch will swing automatically to' present-thedetent l ortion 37 under thedower'edge 38 of the The latch 35 includesan A'angular part 39 .for engagement with the side of the, doorA so thatt e lower lright hand corner of 'the door will be embraced when-the dooris in .the motor-'34. The circuit including the" l, theposition shown inFigure 7 and when the d00r.34 is'thrown out of Ioperation as will bedescribed hereinafter. anarm 40 which, when the door is in itslowswitch41which is in electric connection with switch 41 and the motor34 however is normally held openby a switch 42 as -shown in forming thlarmature of an electro-magnet A 45. O ne or more pushbuttons or-other)suitable` switch closi l' devices 4 6 can loeatedat any convenientplace within the building or. institution' in which the appa 'ratus islocated and in circuit with thse switch9perating devices 46 lis includeda battery o r generator` 47. so that when' the device or devices 46 areoperated the lectromagnet 45, which is connected thereto, will beenergized and attract the armature por tion 44 of the latch'43 andthereby free the tric circuit throughithemotor 34 and thereby f effectthe raising of the door 16.

switch 42 which will move into position relativelv to the contact 48 tocomplete 'an elec- These devices 46 canbe located in various -positionswithin the buildin and can beoperated either by hand or by oot by anyclerk or other person knowing the location of the l .same so that it thecashier for example is .approached by a bandit or robber he or someother person can manipulate -one ofthe devices 46. Upon the' raising ofthe'door 16 l to freethe portion37, the latch 35 will fall and in doingso the arm/40 will ,release the switch 41 and a spring 49 will open theswitch 41 and thereby stop themotor and the .weight of the door will-allow it to settle slightly so as to jam between the portions 37 i and39 of the latch 35. When the latch as- "cated Within the boxV 36 whicThe latch 35 has' re 1, and

preferable to make this lock of such character thatit wi`l1` requireconsiderable .time toopen the- Asame so that even' though the banditorrbber would. have access tothe basement, he could n`ot readily openthe same nor could he compel aclerk to iuickly openv` the. same so as toeiec't the re ease of .the door-by means of the'. switch" 55 which isalso located within the box 52'. This switch` closed to effect a circuitthrough the motor A3 4 sofas to start the motor and raise the door.

ldsuiiiciently to allowthe latch 3 5 to bet manually moved againintoj-the position shownin Fi re 6; It will be nptedrthat when the latc35 is moved into its inoperative position as shown in Figure `6 that by"opening the switch 55 the door 16 will move downward due to its ownweight. By providing the plate 22 a's above described itwill be notedthat as soon as the door' moves upward'the end portions ofthe platewill'bend 4 downward so as to provide a conveiisurface" sothat iianyone-is standing upon the plateY said plate'will. revent injury -to theand willcause t e person to readily-slide oli the same'so as 'not tobecome injured.

As shown'in Figure 10, I have illustrated a construction in which' the.floor 14 is merely recessed as shownat 17* to provide room for a boardor panel 22'L and this panel normally forms a closure for the slot 20'*in the door 'and also provides acover for the top ofthe door 16". Thuswhenthe door 16" `israised in th manner described inconnecf tion withthe door 16,- thepanel 224 vwill be raised and. will tilt so' that ifany one is' i standing upon thepanel 22,.the panel will serve asdefiecting means so as to move the person out of the path of the doorin'the same manner as accomplished by the curved poi-tions of the Iplate22 above'described.

It'will be noted that when the door is.

raised that it will be impossible for the bandit or burglar tov get 'outof the building and the sound produced by -the alarm 51.willv attractattention of any one outside of the building' so that the police can besummoned.

The door Y16 can be,used independently of" any other doors .andwhenadditional doors are providedthe outer surface of thetrap# los pingdoor can be painted to produce a sign I such for example as a sign readias follows: A thief is trapped within this'building. Call the police. Inthis manner the attention of outsiders can be attracted in'v addition tothe 'alarm so that if police are out of hearing of the bell or' otheralarm, any person passing the buildin will be informed that a thiefisptrap withinthe buildingfand can therebydraw the attentie of theproperauthorities.'

taking a particular'form, it will be under- While I have described my'invention as A stoodthat the various parts of my-invention. "uo

' doorway above the o having resilient may be changed without departingfrom the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the preciseconstruction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to'makeisuchchanges and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is '1. The combination with 'a building havinga iioor with an opening therein and a doorway abovethe opening, of adoor movable upward throu 'h said opening, said door etlecting meansthereon lying fiat with said floor for elosin said opening when the dooris in lowe position ;v substantially as described.

2. The combination with a building having a floor with an openingtherein and a doorway above the opening, of adoor movable vupwardthrough saidopenin and resilient deliecting means on said oor;substantially as described.

3. The combination with a. building having a floor with anopening'therein and a nin of a door movable upward throug said opening,means operative to raise said door, a switch controlling'- said means,an alarm sounding means, a switch controlling said sounding means, andmeans for loclnng the door in said raised 'position, said meansoperative when the door is in its lowered position to close said firstswitch and movable when the door is raised to permit opening of saidfirst switch and effect closing of said second "switcli.

4. The combination with a building having a fioor with an openingtherein and a doorway above the o enin of a door movable upward .throngsai opening, means of said switch and effect closing of said secondswitch.

45. The combination with a building havinga 'floor with an openingtherein 'and a doorway above the o able upwardlthroug said opening;means ning, of a door movv foi' moving -said .door upward; latchiiiglmeans automatically movable tov support said door in its raisedposition; means operable by the moyement of said latching means forrendering said door moving means inoperative; an alarm device; vandmeans operable by said latching means forv effecting the operation ofsaid alarm device whenA said door has been raised.; Vsubstantially as6.A The combination with a building having a floor with anopeningtherein and a doorway above the opening, of a door movable upwardthrough said openin anelectric motor operative to raise sai door; anelectric switch; latching means operative -when the door is in itslowered position to close said switch and movable, when the `door israised, to effect the opening of said switch; a switching device inelectric connection with said first switch and the motor;

and an electrically operative alarm device including a switch, saidlatcliing means being operative when thedoor vis .raised to ei'ecttheclosing of thea'larm device switch; substantially as-described.

7. vThe combination with a building hav; ing a iioor with an openingtherein and a doorway above the opening, of a door movable through saido ening; and a movable latch member norma ly resting against said 4doorand falling to operative position when said door is raised, said latchhaving a. out out portion .in which the door fits so .as to preventretrograde movement of said door; electric switches positioned adjacentfsaid latch member; and an extension on said latch member adapted tooperate one switch in its inoperative position and the other switch inits operative position.

In testimony whereof I have Signed m naine to this specification in thelpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS D. EVANS.

Witnesses; l

ALBI-:ar R. Hnon'r, C. H. HOWELL.

